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HomeSportsAPSU Baseball takes two from Northern Illinois

APSU Baseball takes two from Northern Illinois

APSU Sports Information

APSU BaseballClarksville, TN – First baseman Parker Phillips hit three home runs in the day’s first game, and catcher David Martinez had three hits and three RBI in the nightcap as the Austin Peay State University (APSU) baseball team swept a doubleheader against Northern Illinois , 15-3 and 8-3, Sunday to cap the SAF Dirt Classic on Joe and Cathi Maynard Field at Raymond C. Hand Park.

Austin Peay Baseball beats Northern Illinois 15-3 and 8-3 in a doubleheader, Sunday. (APSU Sports Information)
Austin Peay Baseball beats Northern Illinois 15-3 and 8-3 in a doubleheader, Sunday. (APSU Sports Information)

Phillips’ bat was the highlight in the opener as the redshirt junior hit his first three home runs of the 2019 campaign.

He had two-run homers in both the first and third innings – going to right field first before belting a shot through a strong headwind into left – to help the Govs race out to a 10-0 lead.

He added a leadoff shot in the fifth to finish a 3-for-4, five RBI outing as Austin Peay won a run-rule shortened affair.

Govs starter Jacques Pucheu (1-0) picked up the win after holding Northern Illinois to one run on four hits in a four-inning outing. He struck out six of the 19 batters he faced. Reliever Ryan Kouba tossed the final three innings to notch his first save as a Governor.

In the nightcap, David Martinez put on a show of his own at the plate, reaching base in all four plate appearances. His three-hit outing included a critical three-run double in the seven-run third inning that gave the Govs the lead for good. Martinez also had singles in the second and fifth innings for his first career three-hit day as a Governor.

Shortstop Bobby Head hit his second home run of the weekend during the decisive third frame – a three-run blast that extended the lead to 7-1.

Starter Josh Rye (1-1) was the beneficiary of the third-inning outburst, holding NIU to one run on a home run in the first inning. He would last into the sixth and picked up the win with a 5.1-inning outing that saw him strike out four batters.

Malik Peters came off the bench in Game 1 to supply a two-run single in the sixth inning that provided the game’s final runs. Third baseman Tommy Szczasny hit the first-inning home run in Game 2 with right fielder Nick Drobushevich chipping in a RBI triple later in the game.

NIU starter Ty Jandrowski (0-1) suffered the Game 1 loss after surrendering seven runs (five earned) on six hits in two innings of work. William Anderson (0-2) started Game 2 and also took the loss after allowing seven runs in three innings.

Moments That Matter

Phillips set the tone for the day in the first inning when he came to the plate with a runner on base and one out. He saw a 3-1 count pushed full by a strike call but shrugged off the misfortune, hitting the next pitch deep to right field for a two-run blast that was his first of the season.

 

Water Cooler Notes

Sun’s Out, Guns Out?
For the first time in 2019, Austin Peay played with the sun in full effect. Whether that had an impact on the field is up for conjecture, but the results spoke volumes. The Govs entered the day with 13 runs scored in their first four games – all cloudy affairs – but broke out for 23 runs in Sunday’s sun-soaked doubleheader.

Spain Keeps Pouring It On
Six games into 2019 and freshman center fielder Garrett Spain keeps on getting it done. He had two hits and a RBI in Game 1 before a three-hit outing in the nightcap that included a RBI. That means he has a base hit and a RBI in his first six games as a collegiate player and leads the Govs with 11 hits and seven RBI.

Martinez Leads The Way
Catcher David Martinez’ first three-hit day as a Governor capped a 4-for-6, four RBI doubleheader performance. The outburst pushed him to the top of the Govs batting leaders after two weeks, his .467 batting average narrowly edging out Spain (.458). He also has reached base in 11-of-19 plate appearances for an impressive .579 on-base percentage.

Starter’s Days

With great run support comes great responsibility and Austin Peay starting pitchers Jacques Pucheu and Josh Rye did their parts to secure the victory in both halves of the doubleheader. Both starters ran into trouble only once during their outings.

Pucheu’s came in the third frame when he allowed a bases-loaded walk with one out but quickly recovered to strike out the next two batters to end the threat. Rye allowed a two-out solo home run in the first but did not allow another run the rest of his outing.

 

Next Up For APSU Baseball

APSU Baseball begins a scheduled four-game road trip with a trip to No. 1 ranked Vanderbilt for a 4:30pm, Wednesday contest at Hawkins Field.

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